Foodstuffs North Island, the 102-year-old co-operative behind the North Island’s locally owned and operated PAK’nSAVE, New World and Four Square stores, has donated $10,000 to both Nourished for Nil and Gizzy Kai Rescue, to help both organisations continue to provide much needed support to the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne communities.

Willa Hand, Foodstuffs North Island Head of Membership Experience, says the donation is part of the co-operatives ongoing commitment to be HereforNZ, ensuring New Zealanders have access to healthy and affordable food.

“Food rescue organisations are an important partner for us, helping redirect food to the community that would otherwise have gone to landfill,” she says.

“The work of Nourished for Nil and Gizzy Kai Rescue is essential and we’ve got great relationships already through the support provided by our local PAK’nSAVE and New World supermarkets, but we wanted to contribute even more towards the important work they do.”

Nourished for Nil is a Napier-based organisation that offers both pre-made food parcels through their free store and emergency parcels through their foodbank, as well as operating the Hawke’s Bays first social supermarket which was opened in partnership with Foodstuffs last year.

The social supermarket is where individuals can shop for subsidised groceries, using a points system to choose the products that meets the needs of their whanau.
Christina McBeth, Chief Executive of Nourished for Nil says the grant was a lovely surprise.

“Foodstuffs North Island has been a great partner, and their ongoing support is invaluable. This grant means we have an unexpected $10,000 that we don’t have to pull from our reserves or have to go out into the community to find.

“We are always looking to make the customer experience better at our depot in the form of improving the space where people queue, and also for our volunteers.
“Having the means to purchase with money such as this, is gold."

Gizzy Kai Rescue is a Gisborne-based food rescue that has a dedicated team of volunteers.

Through partnerships with supermarkets like PAK’nSAVE Gisborne, they collect surplus food nearing its best before date and redistribute it to local agencies and community groups. In the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle, their services have become even more critical.

Lauren Beattie, Gizzy Kai Rescue Charitable Trust Manager, says the grant further highlights the value of the food rescue partnership and the work they do in their community.

“When we heard about the grant, it was welcome news. Foodstuffs North Island has great relationships with food rescue and know where the need is. They recognised that we had a need for support following the craziness of last year and they reached out. It was incredibly heartening to receive this generous grant.

“The funding grant will help us continue to sustainably operate, and it will help with the continuation of our service. It's a relief to know we are supported and that we can continue to focus on the good work we do.”

The support from Foodstuffs North Island and their Here for NZ fund is aimed at reducing waste and emissions as well as redirecting surplus for communities in need. This year, Foodstuffs North Island has provided donations to 14 Food Rescues, totalling $140,000.

For more information, visit Here for NZ https://www.foodstuffs.co.nz/here-for-nz